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Barb I was just re-reading all the August bandster posts, and was wondering if you managed to a) get your doctor to give you a fill, or find a fill doctor willing to work with you? I have had 4 fills now, and I am finally at a level that works for me. I have 7.0cc in my size 11 band now. I can eat between 1/4 and 1 cup of food, depending on the time of day (more in the evening). I only got to this level 5 days ago, so haven't noticed significant weight loss yet, but I know this time it will start to drop off.

Karen, although my doctor is good at blind fills, I do believe I would have found my correct restriction quicker if I'd had a fill under fluro. It's a little hard to judge if you are restricted enough just by drinking water at the time of the fill, whereas under fluro, there would be no doubt when you were tight enough. I'm glad you got a good fill today.

I don't know how Dr.'s can do "good" blind fills... My doctor does blind fills, and he does a great job! I feel a 'jab' as he puts the needle in the port, but no real pain. The only time I felt any pain, was when he filled the band really tight, then let some out, and it felt like it pinched my esophagus. It only lasted a second or two, and then it was fine. Even sitting up with the needle still in my port is not painful. A little uncomfortable, but not painful.

I hope you get good results from this fill. Remind your doc it takes approx 7.0cc to get it right with our larger bands!! I could even go a little tighter, which is great for when I plateau again down the track. I know this because I can still eat a small amount in the morning - but I can feel every bite going down, which is tight enough for me right now. Compared to what little restriction I had at 5.5cc, where I almost felt wide open and ate everything in sight and felt discouraged and completely out of control, this fill is wonderful! Let us know how you went with this fill after you get back.

I had my 3rd fill on Tuesday afternoon, he added 1.5cc to take me to 6.5 total. I 'tested' it that night, and I guess I ate about 1 cup food. I went back the next morning, and he topped me up a bit more, he added another .5 taking me to 7.0cc in total. He did not charge for the second visit, it was all included in the cost of the fill the day before. I believe I am at the right restriction level now. I just ate one of those 7.5oz mini meals you heat in a microwave, and it was definately enough. I am pleased with this level, and am now looking forward to being a loser! For those of you with the large size 11 band, hang in there, it takes a lot to fill it!

Yes, my doctor charges for every fill, regardless of how much restriction I have afterwards. I paid $225 for the first one, and $185 for each one after that.

Karen The first fill, Dr Keith put in 4cc's, as is recommended by AMI who make our bands. The second fill he added 1.5, bringing me to 5.5. This time I am really going to make sure I have a nice tight fill before I leave the city. What happens is that we go down to the city, it's a 4 hour drive, I get filled, head home, and because I am on liquids for 24 hours, I don't know until the next day if I am restricted enough. By that time, we are again 4 hours from the doctor, and I find out my fill was still not enough. The last time, he asked me what I was able to eat, and said that was too much, and that we needed to do something about that. I am his first patient with the 11 band, so this is new to him as well. He wants me to get the right level, so I think between him and I, we will get it right next week. I am going to stay overnight in the city this time, and if it's not right before my hubby and I leave town the next morning, I will call Dr Keith and see if he can add more before we leave.

Karen, you were banded the day after me, I also had Dr Sanchez. I have had 2 fills so far with Dr Keith in Oklahoma City, and I am scheduled for my 3rd fill next week. As I have the large 11cm band, it seems to take a lot of saline to fill it, and as a result, I'm still no where near where I need to be restriction wise and getting VERY discouraged. I was wondering if you are finding the same thing?

Barb Oh that sucks! I would be finding a new fill doctor as well! You are right, if we could diet and excercise, then why would we need the band?? The whole idea is that we know we can't do that, and need the band to control our eating. Without the right fill level, that control is just not there. My doctor did my fill last Tuesday, one week ago, and told me that if it wasn't right, to come back this week and he would add more. Seeing as we are in the middle of moving house, and also run our own business, going for a fill is not as easy as it sounds when it's 4 hours away. But it just shows you the difference in doctors. I am in Oklahoma, and not familiar with any fill doctors in your area. Why don't you post on the fill section of this board, asking for fill doctor info in your area? I am sure there are other bandsters in your neck of the woods that could help with this.

Barb I know just how you feel, I was banded August 5th, lost 17lb in the first three weeks, and nothing since. I have even gained 3lb. I had my first fill on 9/11, he put 4cc in (I have the AMI 11cc band). I felt no restriction at all. I had my 2nd fill last week and he put in another 1.5cc, bringing me to 5.5cc total. There is some restriction now, but nowhere near enough. I am trying not to get discouraged, but it's hard not to. I feel like I am eating everything in site, simply because I can. I need the band to be tight enough to make me stop, but it's not there yet. I need another fill, but at $185 a pop, and 8 hour round trip and a motel stay, I can't bring myself to tell my husband yet that we need to take another trip to the doctor.

I hear you on the 'how much weight have you lost now?' People ask me that all the time, and continually look at me if we are eating together, asking me 'are you getting full yet?' I only lost 17lb initially, and have not dropped anything for 7 weeks. I keep gaining and losing the same 2lb! People keep telling me I look smaller though, and when I measure myself I really am losing inches. I wonder how that happens?! You weigh the same, yet your body shape is changing? I guess I also have similar NSV's - clothes fitting better, my calves are not 'bursting' if I bend down, and a little more confidence in my step. I get my 2nd fill tomorrow, and I am so looking forward to real restriction to kick start my weight loss.

My port is about 3 inches above my waist and then 3 inches to the left. My fill doctor (he did not do the surgery) was surprised, he'd never seen a port on the left side! But from what I have seen, a lot of people have theirs on the left side.

I was banded August 5th, and I lost 17lb in 3 weeks following surgery while on fluids and mushies - and have lost the same 2lb ever since! The scales go up to 217, down to 216, then 215, then up again, down again, etc, and it's very frustrating. I had one fill on 9/11, and while I initially felt restriction, it all disappeared in about 4 days. I have an appointment for a second fill next Tuesday, Oct 7, and I am hoping for restriction from this one. I know I can eat too much. Less than pre-band, yes, but still too much. I have the 11cc band, so I am going to let my fill doctor know (he did not do the surgery) that it can take 6 to 8 cc's to get it right, and not to 'play around' with these 1cc fills! I know that the band can only work when it finally gets the right restriction, so I am not discouraged about my choice to be banded, but I can't deny I'm a little disappointed in not getting the right fill level yet! But, we are all in this for the long haul, and I know I will be a successful statistic too

Hey, I was banded on August 5th, so I 'qualify' for this post I lost 17lb the first 3 weeks, but since then have come to a grinding halt! I had my first fill on 9/11, and I am going to have my 2nd fill next week on 10/7. I am a little discouraged, but not overly, as I know this is for life and that I don't have to lose it all NOW. Some would be a little help though

Hi, I am in Guymon, in the Oklahoma Panhandle, and I wondered if there were any fellow bandsters nearby? I belong to the following group, follow the link to the discussion board: www.oklabandsters.com

You can find information on Dr Sanchez and how to get in touch with him on his website here: http://www.belighter.com/ I was banded by Dr Sanchez on August 5th, and have lost 17lb so far. I was very happy with the whole experience, and can highly recommend him and his team. I was also self pay. Good luck, and let us know how you go!

Raj I was driving on the third day post op, but I do have an automatic. I went back to work on the fourth day post op, but just kind of took it easy - no lifting, nothing that required anything other than sitting at my computer! Which answers your other question, it was very comfortable sitting at my computer when I went back to work! The only discomfort really was nothing to do with work or driving, but getting comfortable in bed! Lying down and rolling over were quite rough for a few nights, but it's been fine for some time now and I am only 12 days post op. You will be surprised at how quickly you recover from your surgery, I promise you!

I would be very careful eating solid food only 3 days post op. Just because you 'can' do something, doesn't always mean you 'should' do something! The stitches holding the band in place need to heal. The stomach wall needs time for the adhesions over the stitches to occur, that will hold the band in place. If you eat solid food too soon, this may not occur properly, and you could risk band slippage. I for one am not going to spend all this money (I was self pay) only to sabotage it in the first week. I am sticking to the 2 weeks liquid and 2 weeks mush !00%, to give my stomach time to heal before I even attempt to use the new pouch. The reason we are all so hungry post op is that the liquids are slipping through the opening down to the lower stomach, our new pouch is not even being used, and I for one intend to give it every opportunity to heal so that it can do it's job properly when I do move to solid food!

Wow, I guess I was pretty lucky, I didn't have to do any pre-op liquids! All I had to do was stop eating 12 hours before surgery. I am in the middle of my 2 weeks liquids post op, and the first 4 days I honestly though I was starving to death! I've never suffered hunger pain like that! Thankfully, by day 5 it suddenly eased. While I get hungry at certain times through the day now, it's not a constant ache in my stomach now.

Laurel That's great to hear that everything went so well for your husband. Men are so lucky, thier metabolisms always seem to allow them to lose weight faster than women can! 17lb is great! I am losing a lb a day, which is extremely encouraging, so I've lost 7lb in the first week. I know it's just because I am on liquids, but it's still good to see! I am officially one week post op now, and feeling pretty good!

Raj Everyone has given you great advice! I am 5 days post op right now, and while I had some initial pain, it was certainly not unbearable. I took the pain meds the first three days, and have gone pretty easy yesterday and today, with maybe one Aleve in the evening. I am getting over bronchitis and the coughing hurts, and I believe I'd have had less pain that I even had if it weren't for the coughing. The hardest part is getting in and out of bed, and getting comfortable in bed. What I have been doing is hugging a pillow to my chest and stomach, and lying on my side, leaning against the pillow. That is the most comfortable position during those first few nights when your abdomen is still uncomfortable. As youv'e never experienced anesthetic, let me tell you about coming out of it! I am fine in surgery, I've had 4, and I am always calm before them. Being put under the anaesthetic is easy, you are there one moment, and 'gone' the next! It's kind of cool really! However, when you first start to wake up friom it, there is a bit of a panicky time when you can hear people calling to you from what seems like a long tunnel, they are telling you to wake up, etc,. During those initial conscious moments it can be a little frightening, because you are at first unaware of where you are, what has happened and what is going on. It is hard to breathe, and hard to swallow at first, and you are usually aware of an oxygen mask over your mouth and nose and it might feel a little like it is the mask that is suffocating you, but it's not. You just need to talk to yourself during those moments, telling yourself to just calm down, that everything is fine, start breathing deeply and steadily, and you will find the panic eases immediately. It's a normal thing, it happens to me every time, and I just wanted to let you know about that so you wouldn't panic too much during those moments. I might take a look at the recipes that were mentioned, Jello, yoghurt, watery cream of chicken soup is getting a bit old already! But hey, it's worth it! 232/226/140

I had my surgery done on Tuesday in Monterrey, and I can truly say that Dr Sanchez offers a wonderful service for his patients. We were picked up at the airport by Alex, one of Dr Sanchez's assistants, and he drove us everywhere. To the hotel, the hospital, back to the hotel, back to the airport. There is no way we could have done it if we'd had to drive in Monterrey! Dr Sanchez is a very nice man, a kind hearted man, and is a very experienced lap band surgeon. The hospital was wonderful, clean and efficient and the nursing staff were so kind, even when we didn't speak the same language! The CEO of the hospital even came by my room to introduce himself - where does that happen in the states?! He said that Dr Sanchez is one of the top 3 lapband surgeons in the world. I am 3 days post op, I survived the flights back yesterday, and can truly recommend Dr Sanchez and his staff.

Yes, Medicredit did the financing, that seems to be the one that Dr Sanchez uses. I am all set for the 5th, we have our airline tickets booked, and it's exciting! I am more worried about the flights than I am about the surgery! My husband is worried, but he has never been overweight, and just can't put himself in my position. He can't understand why I just can't go on a diet. But he is standing by me on my decision to be banded, he can see how being overweight makes me unhappy. I also have been researching a long time. I originally looked at the RNY, but the more I looked at it compared to the band, I just couldn't bring myself around to the idea of having my insides re-arranged permanently. Just too drastic for me.

I am in Guymon, in the Oklahoma panhandle.

Not yet, but I will be having surgery with Dr Sanchez on August 5th. I too am self pay, and thought with his experience, and the cheaper price, it was definately the way to go.